PADDLING FOR HUNTER CHANOVE

More than 75 paddleboarders raise money in honor of Carlsbad High grad who has rare type of eye cancer

Stand-up paddleboarders met at Agua Hedionda Lagoon in Carlsbad on Saturday to raise money for cancer research in honor of Hunter “Vegas” Chanove,

Chanove, who graduated from Carlsbad High School with a 4.0 grade-point average in 2011, was diagnosed in October with a rare type of eye cancer called choroidal melanoma, for which there is no known cure.

More than 75 people paddled out onto the lagoon for Saturday’s fundraiser, said Luis Chanove, Hunter’s father, though it was too early to know how much money was raised.

“It went extremely well,” Chanove said. “I’m just amazed at how much this city has come together to help out on this.”

Saturday’s weather was perfect for the event, with clear skies and coastal temperatures well into the 70s.

Proceeds from the event will be used to support the research of Dr. Jonathan Kim, part of the research team at The Vision Center at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles.

In a letter sent out to promote the event, Hunter Chanove, who goes by the nickname “Vegas,” said it is an aggressive type of cancer with a high risk of spreading to other organs.

“The moment I heard I had cancer was just mind-blowing,” he wrote. “Unfortunately, there is no cure, but there is hope.

“The tumor itself is treatable with radiation, but since this type of cancer is aggressive, there is a high chance it will spread to my liver and different parts of my body.”

Luis Chanove said Saturday that two more paddleboarding fundraisers are planned for later this year. The next will be this summer, and then another before school starts.

For more information or to make donations, contact Terrance Green, vice president of development; Children’s Hospital Los Angeles; 4650 Sunset Blvd., #29, Los Angeles, CA 90027, or call his office at (323) 361-1736.